From the GC men, if they choose to get involved you'd think Gesink and Spilak would smell blood, but then again as he showed on a similar stage in Paris-Nice, Taaramäe is more than up to the task, in fact beating Gesink there. Spilak’s manager has outlined his desire for moving into yellow already at this early stage, with his team apparently ready to shoulder the workload in exchange for a buffer heading into Stage 7’s team time trial.
The big question is if Boom can keep his jersey. If it's a decision of 50-60 riders you'd think so, but as soon as Gesink goes (or even gets bonuses) his reign will end.
Not an awful run-up to the final climb, and just 146km so we should see a fairly intact peloton duke it out. With not much exertion needed beforehand in all likelihood we should see a nice slug up the climb with not much to lose for anyone, with all the GC leaders needing to pay attention. Whether any of them will attack will be the real question.
Boroš delighting the home fans by going for the KoM again, kicking off the attacks. If he can take at least 6 points (2 2nds or a 1st and a 3rd) from the two Cat.4 sprints he could move into the jersey. He's followed closely by Van Niekerk and Fejes' teammate De Gendt.
Windows anyone?
And for the second day running, that's our break done after one go!
Boros showing his intentions, dominating the first sprint in Broumov!
The teams of our four top favourites from earlier, Berg, Fablok, Isostar and Kraftwerk doing the work in the pack early on.
With 9km until the first KoM sprint, Fejes suddenly remembers he has a KoM jersey to defend and attacks! He has 4'15 to bridge and so it's fair to say he'll only be competing at the second sprint if at all. 100km to go!
However the breakaway seem happy to wait, perhaps due to the insistence of De Gendt, and so he does make it across with 2.6km to go!
A spirited effort from the young South African Van Niekerk, but it's Boros at the first KoM as well, and now just a 2 point gap to Fejes! So long as Boros is 1st or 2nd at the next sprint and beats Fejes he will tie him, and it'll go to countback which Fejes may win actually.
Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see that the weather is turning overcast here now, with rain forecasted for later!
A psychological battle at the next sprint, which Fejes wins ahead of Boros!
Boros dominates the next climb and for a while, it looks like Van Niekerk would come second again to deny Fejes the jersey, but the Hungarian will live to die another day.
Soon after that climb Isostar make the catch, the Slovenians are really controlling tempo here. Boom looking super attentive so far, in fourth wheel just ahead of Spilak.
Dennis (4th on GC) looking to animate the race here with 33km to go, and attacks the peloton on a steep uncategorised climb! Vogt is endeavouring to follow, as is Oss.
An interesting sight here with Boom looking to shut the gap himself to the trio, obviously worried about 4th on GC Dennis! Take note of Gesink who is third wheel in the peloton here!
The big three near the front and in fact maybe distancing the peloton as neither Taaramäe nor Spilak want to give Gesink even the smallest of gaps! Meanwhile Vogt has left the other two behind up front. Still 30km to go may I remind you, and two climbs after this!
Sicard, Lecuisinier and Intxausti also drawn into the moves behind as they don't want to lose ground! Meanwhile Froome is in the Gesink group and Flügel is with Sicard.
Over the top a 10-man group has establshed itself 50 seconds behind Boom (who is 30 behind Vogt) and 50 ahead of the peloton, they are: Froome, Bostner Sicard Oss Dennis Gesink Spilak Flügel Benoot and Taaramäe. The young Belgian Benoot in his first year at WT level with a great ride so far to be here! He's tipped as one to watch as an all-arounder of the future, but he seems to be getting on alright as is!
What a stage this is shaping up to be, nobody expected such a GC fight so early in the race, nevermind the stage! This is the real life, not just fantasy!
Some pretty good climbers dropped from the peloton by this move, including Krasnoperov, Buchmann, Formolo and Fraile! In fact just 68 men left in the Vasyliv-lead peloton!
Boom has decided to wait for the next group, which is now just 8 riders with Dennis, Oss and Bostner being dropped. Vogt has a gap of 1'08 with 18km to go, and there's another 1'06 to the peloton from this group.
Some big crosswinds on these flatter roads tearing apart the peloton, which has given Vasyliv, Lecusinier and Reichenbach a gap, which Barguil is trying to come across! Then a 6-man group with white jersey Barbio and teammate Intxausti as well as Keinath, Slagter and Jensen.
However, on the easier slopes before the penultimate climb, everyone behind the yellow jersey group comes together (I guess anyway the wind blows doesn’t really matter) with the peloton except Lecusinier and Reichenbach, who puts in a powerful effort to bridge. 15km to go for Vogt, who has a decent gap of 1'20!
Nibali and Bongiorno now trying to bridge across also!
There's nobody willing to push hard in the yellow jersey group, so Froome takes some initiative and attacks with the peloton catching up! Behind Kangert is the latest to try and bridge after the failed attempt of Nibali and Bongiorno.
Flugel misses the boat but goes after Froome, whilst the other favourites are happy to be re-absorbed by the peloton, now 66-strong.
Isostar trying to get a hold on proceedings, Pernsteiner successfully blocking any more peloton action. Now would be a good time to get accustomed with the GC times of our three renegades then. Flugel is the best-placed with 46 seconds up to Boom, with Froome at 54 and Vogt at 56. Now two minutes in hand for the latter German to the peloton, with one minute to Froome and 1'27 to Flugel as he finishes with the hardest slopes of that uncategorised climb.
3.7km to go for Vogt, 42 seconds to Froome, 44 more to Flugel and 54 more to the peloton.
3km to go, into the >10% slopes and this will be the test for Vogt. Surprisingly good climb from the Berg rider, extending his gap to Froome back up to nearly a minute.
No change in the gap on the descent, I suppose because objects fall at the same rate. And who discovered that? Bit of a quiz for those of you at home. Yes, it was Galileo!
Bratashcuk setting a tough pace on the climb with his captain in tow, catching Flugel already and halving the deficit to Froome!
Some inner conflict at Berg as Gesink leads the peloton with Vogt ahead! 1'03 the gap with 2km left and Froome caught. No more domestiques now with Brataschuuk popped, who will strike first? Boom still looking very attentive.
Indeed Gesink perhaps robbing his teamamte here and catches him with 1.3km to go. Have Berg gone and thrown it all away?
Vakoc, Kangert and Reichenbach close behind but looking tired, whilst Sicard and Spilak are the best placed of the GC riders behind them. Can Gesink forge on and take yellow - and some time out of his rivals?
The mentioned riders as well as Karnulin and Houle with a gap to Boom and Taaramae among others here! Surprising to be here for those two, what can the RBC sprinter do on this finish? Flamme rouge for Gesink also.
Gesink keeps going and maybe taking a gap out of all but Vakoc, everyone is tired here except Spilak, who is coming up from behind now!
Taaramae leads the yellow jersey group but doesn't have the legs today and just loses more ground! Spilak can't catch Gesink and Vakoc here yet either.
Gesink now looks to sprint to the line for the win and some bigger time gaps, but Vakoc showing some fight here too!
Too late, Gesink’s time has come! The home favourite can try but there was no stopping Robert Gesink today, who celebrates in style in Strazne! What a win, taking the stage, yellow and some early time gaps to the other GC contenders. In fact with a 20 second time bonus, he should have a minute on everyone!
A nice 2nd for Vakoc in his home nation, but a shame he couldn't take victory here. Still, there's two more chances for him.
It's Sicard, actually, who finds the legs late on to shut to take third and 8 seconds in bonuses. However the real time to worry about is the gap to Gesink, and it's been more than half a minute since the Dutchman crossed the line. Houle takes a very nice fourth ahead of Gesink. If the Canadian keeps up this form into Stage 5's flat finish he should be a real contender. Spilak is fifth and will be disappointed to concede that much time.
A great day for Karnulin in 6th, and an advantage over the other minor GC contenders. He should be Gazelle's leader now with Formolo dropping multiple minutes today. Vogt deserved a win today but I'm sure he's fine given the huge performance of his leader Gesink in his stead! Reichenbach with a nice effort in eighth, ahead of Kangert.
We haven't seen it that often over the last 18 months, but Rein Taaramae is human. Rounding out the top 10 but he won't care about that: he's conceded over 90 seconds with bonuses to Gesink already, as well as time to Sicard and Spilak. Flugel is 11th after a valiant effort, but maybe he should've saved his energy for this last climb. Dekker and Nibali with solid performances to gain time on some other top5-10 contenders here too.
Boom shuts the gap at around 2 minutes with Lecusinier close behind. A good result by the Dutchman's climbing pedigree but a shame to lose yellow so early. Meanwhile the Frenchman with a bad day today and losing time to some key rivals for the podium, specifically Gesink!
We missed it but there was some huge gaps behind that group of Boom and Lecusinier, and every other GC contender has just lost well over four minutes to Gesink. Already a small group of GC men with at least two minutes on the others! A bitter day for some here. A much more selective stage than thought!
A big shake-up in the GC as Gesink grabs yellow with a minute to everybody bar Vakoc! A great day for the Dutchman and an important advantage to the stronger climbers Spilak and Taaramae. Due to his prologue placing, Gesink also claims the green jersey, which Leung will continue to wear.
Though he would have been hoping for better, it was a great day for Lecusinier's best young rider campaign as he claims the white jersey he'll hope to keep until Paris. With his most likely challenger Haig back in the four-minute group and so already 2'32 behind, it's a big gap already.
Tomorrow is a very tough day, with a much harder stage than today for the most part with an easier uphill finish. The purer puncheurs such as Flugel and Froome will hope to have their say, whilst Vakoc may make a play for yellow - that would certainly inspire the home fans.
Oh, and if we’re not back again this time tomorrow, carry on, carry on. Sorry, couldn't resist.
